Bomb attacks in Sarajevo terrorist acts!?; On recommendations of ombudsman at next session of Federation Government; Facing with good and bad examples of privatization

Vecernji List

Not published due to Croatian national holiday

Slobodna Dalmacija

Not published due to Croatian national holyday

Glas Srpske

New prices of flour and bread in November: Price increase in November?

Zvornik: Minister robbed

Nezavisne Novine

How does Republika Srpska Ministry of Finance do business with Nova Banjalucka Banka: They placed KM 10 million on time deposit at two times lower interest rates; Republika Srpska Ministry of Finance warned Telekom Srpske: Contracts were signed beyond the law; Investigation into bomb attacks in Sarajevo: Prosecutor ordered owner of “Avaz” be interrogated

Blic

Mineral oils polluted another five wells in Bijeljina; Families of Killed and Missing Soldiers meet Cavic: they ask Mikerevic’s removal

Ljiljan

Nijaz Durakovic on latest bomb attacks in Sarajevo: Maybe someone by his own orders bombs against himself

BH Dani

Due to an attempted assassination on Hilmo Selimovic, police at the door of the Avaz owner Fahrudin Radoncic

Slobodna Bosna

The last chance for BiH – next year extraordinary elections will be held, if nationalists win the world will give up on BiH and leave it to collapse

Security, military issues

Sarajevo Canton police say probe into recent explosions “encouraging”

Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, FTV, Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 8 ‘We posses concrete evidence’, Dnevni List “Name of perpetrators of crimes soon“, by Fena – The recent series of explosions in Sarajevo has made the security and political situation in Sarajevo Canton more complex, the cantonal government said at a session on Thursday. It was said that the course of the investigation is encouraging, and it is expected that the perpetrators will be caught promptly. The cantonal government has asked the Interior Ministry and the police commissioner to continue the investigation and find those who planted an explosive device under a Land Rover in Stup, activated an explosive device outside the house of the Sarajevo Brewery director, Hilmo Selimovic, activated an explosive device under the bus owned by Tahir Selava and planted an explosive device in the Palma cake shop. Interior Minister Sulejman Bajric says that it is expected that the perpetrators will be found as soon as possible and brought to justice. “This is why an order was given to take urgent measures to shed light on the crimes and find their perpetrators. The course of the investigation so far is encouraging, and we expect the culprits to be found and brought to justice soonest,” he emphasized. Bajric says that measures have been taken to prevent such incidents in the future. “The ministry immediately asked the commissioner and the police administration to make the best use of the whole police force to prevent such activities in the future and to make the security situation in Sarajevo Canton satisfactory again,” he concluded.

EUPM still unable to comment on details of the investigation into explosions in Sarajevo

Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8‘EUPM does not want to speculate on explosions in Sarajevo’, FENA – The EU Police Mission (EUPM) is closely monitoring the investigation and efforts of FBiH and Sarajevo Canton police on solving the series of explosions that hit Sarajevo during the last several days, but at this time the EUPM cannot comment on the details of the investigation, EUPM spokesperson Ian Oskar Solnes said at a press conference in Sarajevo on Thursday. “Naturally, we are all impatient and wish to see results as soon as possible, but it would be inappropriate to discuss details or speculate on motives at this phase”, Solnes said.

Interview with Barisa Colak

Croat Radio Herceg Bosna – The security situation in FBiH and BiH was the topic of the meeting between the representatives of the BiH Security Minister headed by Barisa Colak, FBiH Interior Ministry, Sarajevo Cantonal Interior Ministry and EUPM, held on Wednesday in Sarajevo.In an interview to HRHB, Minister Colak said on the conclusion of the meeting: ‘The conclusion was that security situation became more complex with these latest events, I would say the series of crimes manifested by planting explosive devices and causing of the general danger especially here in Sarajevo Canton… all this lead to intimidation of the citizens and them feeling insecure. In every case, police and police structure must disclose perpetrators as soon as possible, disclose those crimes to have the condition brought back in the normal.’ Asked whether these events could be classified as terrorism acts, Minister commented: ‘It is difficult to comment on [those incidents] in such way at the moment, that is to say that this was terrorism. Terrorism must be motivated with certain political reasons. It is true that these devices were planted in a way that could cause large material damages, that is the events were done in a way in which a lot of people could have been injured. Fortunately, that did not happen. In any case, the investigation, which is on going, will entirely respond to your question.’ Minister said that BiH Security Ministry would coordinate activities in regard to the investigations of these incidents, while operative teams were made up of FBiH and Sarajevo Cantonal MoIs staff members, and he indicated that two events could possibly be solved very soon.

Dnevni List (front and page 3, “Bomb attacks in Sarajevo terrorist acts!?”, not signed) carried the excerpts from the interview.

Dnevni List Statement of Day: Adnan Terzic

Dnevni List (page 2), Statement of Day: “Security situation in Sarajevo is not good because the competent ministries are not working enough”, by Adnan Terzic, the Chair of BiH Council of Ministers.

DL’s editorial on behaviour of political parties in BiH in regard to the explosions in Sarajevo

Dnevni List (page 6, by Pejo Gasparevic,“Middle path”) – the author analyses the current political situation in BiH in light of recent explosions in Sarajevo wondering whether the BiH authorities can handle the situation. Saying that these sort of situations are nothing unusual in capitols all over the world, Gasparevic notes that the situation is supposed to be dealt with by the Police and intelligence service unlike in BiH where the authority and opposition use the issue to have a go at each other. The author sees the problem in lack of, using the football language, “midfielders” that could bring closer the two camps, since, according to Gasparevic, intellectuals and media players are exclusively “wingers”. Gasparevic also illustrates the situation saying that “the BiH authority and opposition remind of the biblical story about two blind people leading each other, both ending in the pit”.

Nezavisne Novine on investigation into bomb attacks in Sarajevo

Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘Prosecutor ordered owner of “Avaz” be interrogated’ – Mustafa Bisic, Sarajevo Cantonal Prosecutor, yesterday issued an order on interrogation of 40 persons, who may have some leads in the investigation on bomb attacks in Sarajevo. Fahrudin Radoncic, owner of “Avaz” firm is amongst those summoned people.

Dani on Sarajevo explosions

DANI pgs. 18 – 23 by Vildana Selimbegovic – the panic has set in amongst members of a police-prosecutorial team dealing with investigations of a series of bomb attacks in Sarajevo – no one wants to take the responsibility of questioning Avaz owner Fahrudin Radoncic. The magazine spoke separately with most of the team members and they all confirmed – the most senior state officials from the SDA were exerting a lot of pressure that, despite indications, Radoncic be connected with the recent incidents.

Minister Bogicevic robbed

Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Minister robbed’; Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Apartment by Minister Bogicevic robbed’ – The amount of KM 30 thousand and jewelry of approximately KM 10 thousand worth were stolen from the apartment of Milan Bogicevic, Republika Srpska Minister of Energy, Economy and Development, in Zvornik. The identified persons robbed the apartment while Bogicevic family was on vacation. On the grounded suspicion for having committed this robbery, Bijeljina PSC detained two persons from Zvornik, K.P. and S.V.

FBiH Government shortens regular military service

Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Military service 30 days shorter’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 – Federation Government at the session held in Mostar on Thursday has decided to reduce the military service for 30 days for the recruits that joined the service in April 2003.The Government has also decided to make these kinds of decisions for every next generation of recruits. One of the basic reasons for this decision is reducing the military costs. “Four months of military training is quite enough,” stated Federal Minister of Defence Miroslav Nikolic

Fire set at “Barbara” range

Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘A fire planted at SFOR military range’ – According to information received from the Livno Canton Interior Ministry, the member of Canadian SFOR stationed in Glamoc reported that one person, while leaving the military range of “Barbara” set the grass on fire. Shortly afterwards, the police arrested J.B (20) from Travnik.

Dani Pecanin’s editorial on security, crime in BiH

DANI pg. 3 ‘Seventh Day’ editorial by Senad Pecanin – presents his proposal for the first and most important Article of the BiH Constitution. It is based on a line from a one of the first patriotic songs from the beginning of the war and it goes ‘This is Bosnia, you should finally understand that!’ Pecanin thinks the main benefit of the Article would be the final acceptance of the state and social reality in today’s BiH. “This way, for example, heads of police and prosecution would not keep passing on as a hot potato the decision on investigation bodies finally questioning Fahrudin Radoncic, respectable Bosniak businessman, at least for one of many affairs where he was being mentioned as a main actor.” He also points out that the recent detonations in Sarajevo could be reduced to small things compared to detonations that could take place if an investigation of Radoncic’s business and those who allowed him to get wealthy following the example of Russian tycoons. “if the OHR Anti-Corruption Team really cares about establishing which public (the emphasis on public) companies of respectable Bosniak businessmen did racketeering – it would be enough to address the Federation government and inquire about directors who came to them requesting protection from racketeering by this respectable Bosniak businessman.”

War crimes

Failed SFOR operation to arrest Mladic

BHTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘SFOR: We shall surely catch (war) criminals’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘SFOR cannot confirm Mladic was in BiH’, Blic pg. 5 – Recent SFOR operation to arrest Ratko Mladic is only one in the series of unsuccessful operations. No war crime suspect has been arrested during the commander Word mandate in SFOR. However, SFOR still spectacularly expresses its readiness/promptness to arrest Karadzic and Mladic anytime. After the recent unsuccessful mission in Kasindol, it seems that no SFOR official has any sense of responsibility or shame. In street polls in Sarajevo, people expressed a great disappointment regarding the operation, while the people of Banja Luka evaluated it as vandalism. Recent actions raise a question of credibility of SFOR mission in BiH. BiH Minister of Security Barisa Colak stated that he ‘cannot get into the nature and sources of information that SFOR has.’ SFOR rejects any claims regarding their insufficiency by noting the number of war crime suspects that have been arrested so far. “We have been successful in our actions on arresting 29 individuals indicted for the war crimes,” said SFOR spokesman Dale Maceachern. All international magazines evaluated the SFOR action as big miscalculation.

Dnevni List (page 10, “SFOR remains dedicated to future of BiH peoples”,not signed) also carries the Dale MacEachern’s statement. The newspaper also on page 5 “Negative mark for SFOR’s operation”) says that Daily Telegraph negatively judged the SFOR’s operation and the daily underlines that SFOR was wrong when it believed that Mladic will consider as his moral obligation to come to his mother’s house before the funeral.

RS Army on media reports about Mladic whereabouts

Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Avaz missed the target’ – GS received a confirmation from the Republika Srpska Army General Staff that the training camp of the Republika Srpska Army special units at Bileca Lake, where, according to reports of “Dnevni Avaz”, Ratko Mladic has been resting with his three bodyguards and a cook, does not exist at all. According to General Staff, SFOR has the list of all Republika Srpska Army facilities, including training camps. What “Dnevni Avaz” is just an incorrect critic against SFOR and we expect from SFOR to react, said Stamenko Novakovic, Deputy Head of Republika Srpska Army General Staff.

Vecernje Novosti on Mladic

Vecernje Novosti pg. 25 – ‘Mladic is not in Serbia’ – reports that, according to the SFOR information, General Ratko Mladic is now most probably in BiH territory. Representatives of the Hague Tribunal in Sarajevo and OHR still do not want to confirm this information. Explaining the last attempt to arrest Mladic, SFOR said that according to intelligence information Mladic was in BiH and it had been expected he would show up at the funeral of his mother. Spokesman of the Hague Tribunal Office in Sarajevo, Refik Hodzic, says he does not have approval to speak about Mladic’s whereabouts, adding that the ICTY Prosecution should have right information. Mario Brkic, OHR spokesman, said that OHR never comments on intelligence and security sensitive information. “However, we fully support SFOR action since apprehending of war criminals and suspects for the war crimes is a clear and binding obligation,” Brkic said.

Political developments

Dnevni Avaz pg. 3, Dnevni List page 3, not signed, FENA – The authorized FBiH Government’s service is tasked to immediately announce in the daily newspapers a 15-day extension of deadline to submit applications for the FBiH State Civil Service Agency Director and three members of the Appeal Commission. In this manner the FBiH Government acts in accordance with the OHR recommendation.

Tihic says reactions to genocide statement politicised

Dnevni Avaz pg. 5 ‘RS leaders have no courage to answer my questions’, Dnevni List page 2, unsigned,“A Serb Willy Brandt will come along”,FENA – BiH Presidency member Sulejman Tihic has described the reactions by the leaders of the RS to his invitation to the RS authorities to reveal the location of the mass graves in that entity as politicized. Tihic said that RS President Dragan Cavic‘s reaction did not offer a single concrete answer, but contained general politicized comments. “In their statements the RS authorities did not respond to my claims that they know where the mass graves are. These mass graves are a result of systematic policies and the authorities in the RS must have known about them,” Tihic warns, appealing again to the entity authorities in Banja Luka to say who was responsible for covering up these crimes and for creating mass graves. It is unacceptable, Tihic said, that no-one among the RS government representatives came to the exhumation of bodies from the largest mass grave in BiH. “This is a moral obligation incumbent upon all of us. I would most certainly have visited a mass grave containing Serb bodies had one existed,” Tihic said. He said that revealing the truth is in the interest of all citizens of Bosnia-Hercegovina and added that only by establishing the entire truth about the war events in BiH could reconciliation and coexistence be achieved. “It is in the interest of the Serb people to have a politician, a Serbian Willy Brandt, who would bow before the Srebrenica victims and the victims of the mass grave near Zvornik. That day will inevitably come,” Tihic said.

Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘SDS claims Tihic is falsifying facts’ – According to press release issued by SDS, the most recent statement by Sulejman Tihic at Crni Vrh represents an attempt to falsify historic facts at the expense of the Serb people and Republika Srpska. SDS further stresses that the statement actually represents a continuation of political rhetoric and programme of Alija Izetbegovic and SDA from the beginning of 90’s last century, that are most responsible for tragic events in BIH and tragedy of its people.

NN op-ed on Tihic’ statement

Nezavisne Novine, op. ed. By Slavisa Sabljic, ‘Crni Vrh’ –The author makes a reference to the most recent statement by Sulejman Tihic, which resulted in so many reactions in Republika Srpska.

The author is critical of the term, which officials of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina prefer to use when referring to Republika Srpska. And that term is “smaller entity”. The author reminds Tihic that “smaller entity” has Vice Presidents of Bosniak and Croat nationality, as well as the Banjaluka PSC Deputy Chief named Nijaz Smajlovic, and also that over one hundred Bosniaks and some Croats are engaged in political developments in “smaller entity”.

The author also says that “the latest statements by Tihic cannot justify with anything, but rather described as planting of land mines to the shaky peace in BiH”.

Moreover, he describes the developments before the statement was given, and then moves on to development taking place after the statement was given. Hearby, he referred to ustaches slogans at the concert of Tompson in central Bosnia, tear gas thrown at the concert of Bajaga (Serbian singer) in Split and demolished bus, which was carrying supporters and players of Sartid. Nor do surprise the comments, which could have been heard at RTRS live covered programme yesterday. On one side, there were words of appraisal for Ratko Mladic, and on the other, curses like “we will expel you from the country across Drina river”.

Therefore, the invocation of evil by Sulejman Tihic, from Crni Vrh, was no necessary at all.

Interview with FBiH PM Hadzipasic

Dnevni List (front and page 7, by Miso Relota,“On recommendations of ombudsman at next session of Federation Government”) – an interview with the Prime Minister of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), Ahmet Hadzipasic. Talking about the current situation regarding the issue of steering boards in public companies, Hadzipasic says: “We (FBiH Government) have passed a conclusion that the opinions of the Ombudsman were to be analyzed by the FBiH Justice Ministry, Office for legislation and competent ministries in charge of the companies. Their recommendations will be analyzed at the next session of the FBiH Government. On basis of their opinions, we will take a decision. It means that the Government’s decision will be either annulled or the Federation Government will stand behind its decisions”.

Ljiljan interview with HNC SDA Board President

Ljiljan (pages 36 and 37, by Enes Ratkusic,“By changing rules of game, foreigners awarded HDZ”) – an interview with the President of Cantonal Board of SDA of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Salko Sokolovic. Sokolovic says that last year, when he was an MP in the FBiH Parliament, he and Omer Cevra, at the time an MP in the FBiH House of Peoples, warned that pre-requisites for abolishment of special regime cantons had not been met. “Unfortunately, our assumptions that the Croat aspirations about revival of domination in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton showed to be realistic (…) One has to ask a question why the IC resorted to adoption of new rules before the old ones were completely implemented, unless they have other intentions”, says Sokolovic. Questioned whether the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, will decide about the Mostar issue, or whether it will be done by “legal institutions”, Sokolovic believes that the High Representative, “as a wise diplomat, will leave the issue to the competent institutions of Mostar. Even more so because it is the same people that will govern the city, and not Ashdown”. Regarding the issue of outvoting in the HNC Government, Sokolovic says the SDA submitted an amendment to the article 44 of proposal of HNC Constitution. “According to this amendment, the Government takes decision by simple majority, but the majority has to have at least one vote from all constituent peoples, or at least two peoples that, according to the 1991 census, exceed 30% (of population)“, says Sokolovic.

Slobodna Bosna on relations among the governing political parties

Slobodna Bosna pg. 1, 5, 6 and 7 by Asim Metiljevic – on the disastrous situation within the coalition parties as well as within each party. The article reads that only six months after the parliamentary election, BiH has stepped into the hallway of parliamentary crisis that threatens with the total blockade of the political decision-making stopping of even symbolic reformist projects’. The article claims that the proof that the parliamentary crisis has arrived to Bih was last week’s election of Spiric for Deputy BiH HoR Speaker. The election was followed by quarrels between party heads who proved they were not in agreement and had no political responsibility. The SDA attacked Muratovic for abstaining for the vote, Kunic from PDP found himself under the fire of his party for supporting Spiric and Halilovic from SBiH (also voted for Spiric) explained they were in coalition with the SDA, but had no obligation towards SDA’s partners (meaning the SDS). As for inter-party problems, the magazine points out obvious tension between Tihic and Terzic. Also, according to the author, Federation PM Hadzipasic has also been distancing himself from Tihic. Article claims the same problems are taking place in the SBiH (no examples though) and RS parties who fail to agree on the most benign issues such as the laws stemming from Bulldozer Commission initiatives. As for HR Ashdown, the magazine says that instead of decreasing his authorities he has done the opposite. As for Ashdown’s recent statement on the completion of the ‘first stage of reforms’ the magazine says that no one is clear what the phase included, when it began and when it ended. An insert ‘Chose nationalists again and you will be ruined’ – a senior diplomatic source told the magazine that only extraordinary elections next year might be a chance for BiH. If, according to the source, people elect nationalists again the IC will leave and Bih will be ruined.

Economic/social issues

Terzic, Hays visited Holz company in Vitez

BHTV 1, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 15 ‘Politics still interfering in economy’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Terzic: This is an example why the export of logs from BiH should be prohibited’, Dnevni List front and page 8, “Facing with good and bad examples of privatization“, by Zeda – BiH Prime Minister Adnan Terzic and PDHR Donald Hays visited the ‘Holz’ company in Vitez on Thursday. Lumber/wood processing industry ‘Holz’ from Vitez is an example of very successful company aroused from the privatisation process. An Austrian company invested over 2 million Euros in the company. Almost all of the products are placed into international market. Over 250 workers are employed in the company, with the average salary in the amount of 550 KM. The company, as well as the entire lumber industry, faces the problem of great export of lumber raw material for very low prices. In that regard Terzic said: “We have to adopt the decision that would prohibit the export of lumber raw material from BiH, in order to help these kinds of companies to develop their business and hire even more people.”PDHR Hays announced that in the next weeks, the entity and State Prime Ministers would visit some companies in the whole BiH in order to face with positive and bad examples of privatization. Hays added: “As a concrete example, that will happen soon, you will have the invitation of the tender for the sale of at least 10 big companies because good economy means more paid taxes and this means better education, better services and life and for this reason politicians have to work and exist.”

Zitoprerada workers still on hunger strike

BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘Prime Minister failed to make agreement with workers on strike’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 12 – Workers of ‘Zitoprerada’ are on a hunger strike for nine days.Medical teams noted 40 interventions in that regard. 15 people are in a very critical condition after refusing any medical treatment. Members of the striking board held another meeting with Una-Sana Canton Prime Minister Fadil Islamovic on Thursday. However, no deal has been concluded.

Dnevni List (page 7, by O, “Union dissatisfied with Ashdown’s work”), Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘Health workers critical of Ashdown’, Vecernje Novosti pg. 19 ‘You protect criminals’– Union and Striking Board of Banja Luka Clinical Centre accuse the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, of supporting criminal lobbies in the Republika Srpska and BiH by his “inert” attitude. The open letter signed by the President of Striking Board, Zdenko Stupar, says that the HR is not interested in the problems of this medical institution and its workers who have been on strike for more than 70 days. “The medical workers still have to work for free and keep the social peace together, whilst the Prime Minister and Ministers in the Government of Republika Srpska get raises and go on ‘earned’ vacation”, reads the open letter.

RS Ministry of Finance-Nova Banjalucka Banka relations

Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘They placed KM 10 million as time deposit at two times lower interest rates’ – Without a tender announced, Republika Srpska Ministry of Finance placed an amount of KM 10 million as time deposit. The amount was collected through direct sale of firms and banks. The amount was placed as time deposit at two times lower interest rate than the average rate in Republika Srpska.

Telekom Srpske

Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Contracts were signed beyond the law’ – On 26 February this year, Republika Srpska Ministry of Finance informed Telekom Srpske that owing to observed occurrences of exceeded use, even misuse of the institute of restricted competition, this practice will not be accepted and tolerated any longer. Accordingly, actions within this field will be undertaken in a strict manner in the future, in order to ensure a proper expenditure of resources, expansion of competition and prevention of corruption. This order is actually related to general problem in the implementation of the Law on public procurement.

Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Tender announced for sale of explosives’ – Republika Srpska Directorate for the production and trade in armament and military equipment at the Republika Srpska Defence Ministry announced a tender for the sale of 15.5 tons of TNT explosive waste.

Government on import of oil

Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘By means of train and according to the law’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, Dnevni List front and page 4, “Oil import through railways exclusively” – The Republika Srpska Government is determined in its decision that all oil and oil derivatives should be imported in Republika Srpska by railway. In this manner, the market status will be regulated and consumers, meaning citizens of Republika Srpska and BiH, would be protected.

Dani on Bulldozer Committee

DANI pg. 7 ‘Bosanski Barometar’ column on the Bulldozer Commission – graded with two black dots meaning a terrible move. Opens up by saying that the Bulldozer Commission (BC) only ‘ploughs’ in direction that the OHR and their advisors from the WB and IMF dictate. The objection of reps from the mentioned international organizations caused for a proposal on a temporary ban on the export of logs was not included on an agenda of a session of the BC. The reason being that there is no limit to export, as BiH signed a memorandum on its foreign trade regime – one of the terms for joining the WTO. “And it’s no use that the entity and state governments, as well as all regional Bulldozer commissions supported the proposal that would stop the mass export of the BiH forest riches. The higher interests, dictated by the WB and IMF, say that such move would chase away potential investors. But such moves should be no surprise, as it is well-known what kind of ‘primitives’ run this country and how reps of the IC treat them as their ‘servants’.”

The decision was made on the basis of suspicion that the daily had published a series of untrue articles about Selimovic.

Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘With the assistance of the Court, Selimovic wants to reduce truthful texts to the level of defamation’ – The newspaper announces it will lodge the complaint against the Sarajevo Court’s decision claiming that it has gained its reputation not through lies but on the basis of accurate articles. Avaz will also address the Independent Judicial Commission because Judge Beslagic-Covrk did not officially informed the newspaper about the decision.

HNC PM Coric on fires in HNC

Dnevni List (front and page 15, by Vesna Leto,“Coric: I could use the right and activate people who sit in cafes”) – an interview with the Prime Minister of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC), Miroslav Coric, in light of numerous fires that rage in the HNC. Coric confirms that firefighters, who are on the cantonal budget, received salaries yesterday and explains the powers vested in him in the current situation, namely, the state of natural disaster which has been declared in the HNC. FYI, Coric is the Head of Crisis HQ. “My authorities are unlimited, at any moment I could use the right and activate people that are sitting in the cafes and restaurants or walking in the streets”, says Coric. Furthermore, PM Coric announces that the Law on civil and fire-fighting protection will be on the agenda of the HNC Government in September.

NN editorial on RS Prosecutor’s performance

Nezavisne Novine, editorial by Dragan Jerinic, ‘Why does Amor Bukic keep silent?’ – Jerinic is critical of Prosecutor’s Office of Republika Srpska, especially of its Prosecutor, Amor Bukic. He questions as to how it is possible to trust Prosecutor’s Office when no investigation has been launched into any case of crime and corruption on which media so extensively reported on, brining exact details into those cases. The author reiterates the general observation that there are more criminal reports in this state than university degrees. And if prosecutor’s office, judiciary and police continue to do the way they have been doing or should we say failed to do anything for years, the number of criminal reports over university diplomas will rise.